Hillary Clinton supports gay marriage

In a move that could have implications for a 2016 White House campaign, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton endorsed gay marriage on Monday, saying she supports it “personally, and as a matter of policy and law.”

“LGBT Americans are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones,” Clinton says, speaking directly to the camera, in a nearly 6-minute video released by the Human Rights Campaign, a leading gay rights group. “And they are full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes marriage. … I support it personally, and as matter of policy and law.”

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Clinton’s endorsement was expected after her husband, Bill, and daughter, Chelsea, endorsed same-sex marriage while Hillary Clinton was serving in President Barack Obama’s Cabinet. When she was campaigning for president in 2008, Clinton had opposed gay marriage and backed civil unions instead. Since then, support for gay marriage has become a cornerstone of the Democratic Party.

By releasing her announcement in a video, Clinton also avoided questions about the Defense of Marriage Act, which her husband had backed but said recently should be struck down. Hillary Clinton didn’t address DOMA in the video, even as the law is up for review by the Supreme Court.

“Like so many others, my personal views have been shaped over time by people I have known and loved, by my experience representing our nation on the world stage, my devotion to law and human rights and the guiding principles of my faith,” Clinton says. “Marriage, after all, is a fundamental building block of our society. A great joy, and yes, a great responsibility.”

“A few years ago, Bill and I celebrated as our own daughter married the love of her life,” Clinton continued. “I wish every parent that same joy. To deny the opportunity to our own daughters and sons solely on the basis of who they are and who they love is to deny them the chance to live up to their own God-given potential.”